I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a long time, but can you share your thoughts on curtain rods? Where should they go, and how far out? I’m pretty sure I’m doing it wrong, because my windows look nothing like yours. You’ve probably heard me mention hanging curtain rods and panels higher and wider than the actual window frame in some of the mood boards I’ve posted.  But ‘high and wide’ is pretty vague. Alexis’s question came at a good time – just as I was revamping the window treatments in our master bedroom.  Luckily, I remembered to take some pictures of the process.   So, that pic above is from a post of yore.  {Don’t mind the green arrow.  It makes sense in the original post.  Oh, and never mind the half-naked boys either.} But I wanted to show you what our bedroom curtains looked like before.  See how the rods are only a few inches wider than the actual windows?  See how the rods are hung just a few inches above the window?  See how the curtain panels cover several inches of the windows?  

All of those things make for so-so window treatments.  These were our bedroom window treatments for nearly 3 years until I took ’em down last week and patched the drywall holes in preparation for new curtain rods and panels. If you don’t have any window treatments in place, good for you.  If you already have window treatments but they aren’t hung at an optimal height/width, no biggie.  You may have some unhanging, spackling, sanding and painting to do.  {That’s what I did.}  With a bare window begging to be dressed up, choose a rod that extends well beyond the frame of the window.  For example, my windows are 35″ wide.  I chose a new 79″ rod for each.  {It’s IKEA’s LUMMIG curtain rod set.}  That’s nearly 40″ of extra rod to play with!  {Sorry, that sounded a little X-rated.} Not only is the new curtain hardware much wider than the previous rod, I also positioned it several inches higher on the wall above the window.  Remember to leave enough wiggle room between the hangers and ceiling to slip the rod into place!

…doesn’t that look better already?  If you’re wanting exact numbers, the rod is hung 12″ above the window and extends 21″ beyond either side of the window.kohls shower curtains hookless Onto choosing curtain panels. room darkening curtains brookstoneMeasure the distance from the top of your hung curtain rod to the floor.  gold lametta curtainsThis will give you an estimate as to how long you need your drapes to be.  evelyn ure curtainsI like my curtains to touch my floors, so I add 2″ to that to get the final curtain length I’ll need.  tesco gold eyelet curtains

For a pooling effect, add several inches to the length.  It’s always a good idea to buy panels longer than what you think you’ll need to account for shrinking. curtains padgate{Look for shrinkage estimates on the packaging.} We don’t want any high-water window treatments!  Which brings me to my next point…Always pre-wash curtains prior to hanging! It’s amazing how much they can shrink…up to half a foot sometimes in width/length.  I chose IKEA’s unbleached AINA panels.  They were originally 57″ wide and 98″ long.  After washing and line drying {I just hung them from the curtain rods to dry}, they measured 55″ wide and 94″ long.  When in doubt, buy longer.  You can always hem the panels.  I lucked out and didn’t have to shorten mine at all. Once you’ve got your panels bought, washed and measured to the proper length, iron them.  I hate ironing as much as the next frat boy, but, believe me, wrinkled and/or disheveled curtains will only bring a room down.  

Iron curtains for a clean, crisp look. Then, you can finally hang them.  I had the option of hanging mine from either a single rod pocket… I used the loops for a looser cascade. The edge of the curtain closer to the window should barely skim along the window frame to allow lots of natural light in.  An overlap of just a few inches is ideal for making the window feel as large as possible. Here’s one more up-close and personal shot demonstrating how high and wide the new curtains hang. Hanging curtains high and wide can give any room a lift.  Just remember these key points: *Install curtain hardware well beyond the window frame while still allowing enough room to place/remove the curtain rod. *When in doubt, buy longer curtain panels. *Prewash curtains to avoid future shrinkage. *Gather the curtains so that the inside edges just skim the window frame. Our bedroom windows are feeling much grander and airier now.  All the extra light streaming in doesn’t hurt either.  

Thanks, Alexis, for your question! images:  all Dana Miller for House*TweakingIn my own Silverlake home (which was featured on Domaine Home before I sold it and moved a little ways down Sunset Blvd to Hollywood) I trimmed my Aina curtains with basic black cotton twill tape ... Shop for your favourite products online and have them delivered for only $20 to a location near you.(This page will close) Curtains and blackout curtains might feel soft but they are very hard-working. They can keep out strong sunlight on a summer's day and the nosy looks of your neighbours, too. Best of all, they help you give your home your personal style, whatever the time of year. Double curtain rod combination We love the outdoors, but sometimes we want to keep outside elements, draughts and curious eyes, out. VILBORG curtains are effective at keeping out both draughts in the winter and heat in the summer. Filter daylight with SKOGSKLÖVER roller blind, a smart cordless and child-safe solution.